Family time
by nautika
Summary: Elrond tried to make time every day to spend with his sons, but on this occasion, his youngest is straining his patience.


**Family Time  
by nautika**

Rating: K  
Summary: Elrond tried to make time every day to spend with his sons, but on this occasion, his youngest is straining his patience.  
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Tolkien. This is a not for profit fiction.

Author's notes:  
· Adar/Ada - Father/informal for Father  
· Dan & Ro - Estel's childhood nicknames for Elladan & Elrohir  
· Ion nin - my son

**Family Time**

"Estel, sit still please. This is a quiet time. Remember, we each share something about our day?"

"Yes, Estel. If you can settle down, you may go first." Elladan tried to hide a smile.

Estel sat perfectly still long enough to say, "I helped in the kitchen." Then he was once again bouncing around the room.

Elrond sighed. He did not like to scold the young human. The child had difficulty enough sleeping nights without thinking his newly adopted family was upset with him. But this time together was very important to the family and Elrond wanted his new son to be a part of that. He smiled indulgently at the boy.

"If you would just sit still I am sure you could think of more to tell us."

"No, thank you. Someone else may have a turn now." The boy was now hopping across the room with his feet together and then turning and skipping back.

"Even if someone else is speaking, Estel, you should remain still. It is good manners."

Estel's shoulders drooped. "Yes, sir." He pulled a cushion off of an empty chair onto the floor and dropped down next to it, leaning against the chair. As he waited for one of the elves to speak, he began to play with the cushion's edges.

Elrond tried to suppress a sigh of relief and the twins exchanged amused glances. Elrohir began to talk about the work he had done with the horses that day. While mentioning that one of the mares would probably deliver her foal tomorrow, Ro looked at Estel to ask him if he would like to come to the stable to watch. To his surprise, he found the boy had pulled the cushion up onto his lap and had his arms under it. His feet were pulled up under him so the massive cushion almost entirely covered him. All he could see were  
his brother's eyes peeping up over the top.

"Estel, what are you doing?"

"I am listening, Ro."

"Must you hide under the furniture to do so?" Elrond inquired of his young son.

"I am not hiding, sir. I am being still."

Elrond sighed. "You are meant to sit on the cushion, Estel. It is not intended to sit on you. Please put it back and settle yourself properly."

"Yes, sir." Estel dragged the large cushion back into place with help from Elladan, then turned to the elf lord.

"May I be excused, please, sir?"

Elrond winced. Estel had called him 'sir' 4 times in a matter of minutes. After coming to live with them, he had fallen easily into calling the twins Ro and Dan. Ada had taken a little longer, but Estel had been using it faithfully of late. Elrond wondered what had gone wrong and when.

"Are you not interested in hearing about the foal, Estel?" Elrohir had been looking forward to this birth more than any in a long time because he thought his new brother would be excited by it. His heart longed tosee the young boy's eyes light up and he had been sure watching a new foal born would accomplish that.

"Yes, but…"

"But what, Estel? Does it frighten you?"

"No, it is just…I had rather hear at breakfast, Ro."

"Foaling is hardly a topic for mealtime, Estel." Elrond tried to speak softly while at the same time remaining firm.

"Fine! Then I do not want to hear at all. Good night." With this, Estel fled toward the stairs, leaving three stunned elves behind.

"I think he was crying, Adar." Elladan wanted so much to help the child, but sometimes the young human left him at a total loss.

Elrond's eyes closed briefly to hide his own pain. He had not intended to hurt the boy. He gathered himself and stood to leave the room. Ro reached out as he passed. "You did nothing wrong, Ada. It is just going to take time."

The elf lord smiled slightly. "I know, ion nin. Worry not."

Elrond applied some relaxation techniques as he climbed the stairs. He knocked on the young human's door and opened it slightly, hearing sniffles coming from the room as he did so. So Elladan was right about the boy crying. "Estel?"

A single sniff, then, "Yes?"

Well, at least he had not said sir; Elrond could only hope this was a good sign. "May I come in, my child?"

Another sniff, another "yes", but this one was weaker than the last. Elrond entered the room quietly.

"I did not mean to hurt you, Estel. It is my job to teach you proper behavior…the right way to act." Elrond had learned that the boy did not always understand everything he said, even though they normally spoke Common now. But he was a fast learner and the elf lord felt a true fatherly pride in this young one.

"I know." Whether he knew Elrond had not meant to hurt him or whether he understood about his adopted father's responsibilities to educate him was unclear.

"Why you not come back down and join us? Your brothers and I enjoy your company."

"No, thank you . . . sir."

That hurt. Elrond crossed to the bed, needing a physical connection with the boy. He was almost buried under the bed covers, but Elrond reached out and gently touched his cheek. "Estel, your cheek is like frost! What have you been doing?"

The boy sounded old beyond his years when he replied. "Sitting still."

Tears sprang to the elf lord's eyes as he drew the boy onto his lap, bringing his covers with him. "Oh, ion nin, I am so sorry, so very sorry. Elves do not feel the cold like humans, but it is inexcusable of me not to have realized. Forgive me!" Elrond held the boy's head so it was tucked into the elf's neck and while he rocked him gently in the bed.

Estel pulled one hand from beneath the covers and reached up to touch the tears running down his adopted father's face. He patted the elf lord's cheek with chubby fingers. "Don't cry, Ada. You would never do anything inex…inex-use-able."

This only caused the elf lord to pull his youngest closer to him, rocking him for several minutes more. When the twins came to check on them, young Estel had fallen asleep in his father's arms. They crept quietly into the room to kiss their younger brother goodnight. When they were close enough to see their father's tears, they went to their knees beside him. "Ada?"

"He was cold." The elf lord's whispered voice broke. "He was only moving around and using the cushion to try and stay warm."

The twins' distress was no less than their father's. The next night began a new tradition. Family time was held in Estel's room, with all four sitting on Estel's bed. It continued to be held there until the fireplace could be added to Elrond's study.

End

Author's Note: I didn't do extensive research about Elrond's study, but if he had a fireplace, who is to say this isn't the reason. I also realize Aragorn/Estel had been living at Imladris since he was two and he would not have been 'newly adopted' at the age he appears in my story. I consider all of my fics AU.


End file.
